The Adventure of Annabel Drake- The Basics

My name is Annabel Drake, and I’m like any average high school sophomore girl…..well, maybe a few things were a little weird in my family. But before I get to that, you should know more about me; I’ve been told that I am very pretty, but an average kind of pretty. My hair is tinted a dark red, since no one told me that it wouldn’t cover my dark hair and I hated my plain black hair; I didn’t want to be plain anymore. I liked being different then everyone else; my skin is beyond pale and so outdoor sports or anything that had to do outside would be a great deal of pain in the end, since I burn easily and my father is very protective of me, but I love the warmth of the sun on my skin and even if I did get burned, it was worth it.

I don’t have a fabulous wardrobe like a lot of the girls at my school and I choose to not try super hard at getting ready for school, it’s just a waist really. I can usually be spotted in a big black hooded sweatshirt that was left unzipped; the jacket made me look smaller then I already was. I am petite with small curves that are proportioned nicely to my body type and I was –again- average height. My jeans are usually too big and baggy and kept up with a white studded belt and my beat up converse completely the look. Even though my family is wealthy enough to where I can just by a model to model anything that I was thinking of wearing that day, I choose to spend like it was the last of all my money. Nothing good comes from material possessions, unless it’s an ipod- my whole life is dependant on my music- but that is my only exception.

Now, all this money is because of my father’s high status quo in the world, that’s the only reason why. And even if he lost that power, all the money he’s saved up can probably last him, my older brother, and me about a couple decades of lives. My father is like an ambassador to “my people” and it is a position he will not give up in a heart beat.

Not that he has one.

We are part of a great clan of vampires, the Drake’s clan. It is the only true blood vampire clan in the whole world and my dad takes this very seriously. You remember how I said that I went to a normal high school and loved how the sun felt on my skin, I have an explanation for that too. I’m only a ‘half blood’ and I use that loosely since there isn’t a really name for it since, I was the first born that way.

Before I get into all that, why don’t I tell you about my family and how this all started? This may sound weird, but as you can guess all vampires can be traced back to one.

Dracula

I’m serious, that black and white movie that you think is just really dumb and has horrible effects, was about my grandfather, and there are a couple of ‘greats-‘ before grandfather. He was the first and the last pure made vampire, said to have rose from the deepest pits of hell to punish the world and haunt the night. And since he was the first, Dracula was also wanted to be the last. Just think you are really one of a kind if you were a vampire during his time. There was only one, and that is the way that he kept it. Dracula killed every person that he drank from and honored their death by placing them in a dignified position. But as you know, Dracula was a male, and even the one and true vampire got lonely.

So he had a one night fling.

This is where things might get a little complex. You see, this women found Dracula during the latest hours of the night and pleaded out to him; she was with child. This regular, plain old girl that had been seduced by the Vampire King was carrying his one and only child. Now, Dracula was a classy kind of guy and stood beside the women –from the shadows of course- and stuck with her through the nine months, not only because he felt a bit attached to the young women, but he was curious. He wanted to know what would happen to the girl, what would happen to the baby; would it be human or some kind of thing that would be abandoned by society. And as the day grew close, the women went into labor, a midwife helping along with the girl’s family, and Dracula disguised as a young man. The baby was born, a son, with pale skin and piercing onyx eyes.

The baby was born as a pure blood vampire.

The midwife had fainted and the family cowered away from the women and her demon child; Dracula could only smirk as he him self cleaned the baby and gave him to his mother. She had smiled happily, but the moment didn’t last long. The women’s own mother ran out the door and began to warn others of what had happened. Dracula did the only thing that came to mind; he took them both away, to a distant village and hid them in an empty house.

I should say it was happily ever after, but I can’t.

When the son, called Drake -Dracula had been nicknamed that as well and it was one of the nicer ones- turned the age of seven they had been found. Dracula had left the two since he could not stand the light and had to keep running, but he would check in every month in the middle of the night. Drake had been hidden away in a cellar when his mother heard the news, but she wasn’t so lucky. She was stoned to death by the village she had been hiding in. Young Drake stayed down there for a period of seven days, feasting on the rats that lived in the cellar, until he heard the familiar steps of Dracula.

The Vampire King was outraged at the news and nearly wanted into the village to feast on those that threw a stone, but the young Drake had to be taken care of, and it was left to Dracula, so he and that of his son roamed the earth. Drake usually stayed in the shadows of his father, so that the mortals would not have to fear another vampire; Drake cared for the mortals, since his mother was one, but yet he also held a deep hatred for them and killed those that dare harm another.

All was well, until Drake had also been bewitched by the beauty of a mortal woman. When trying court the woman, Dracula had left his son to be his own and came back to the surprise of having three pure blood grandsons, the first and last time that happened. But yet again, tragedy fell upon Drake as his own beloved when she was burned at the stake, while the three sons ran away with their father.

The youngest is Victor, the next is Nathaniel, and the eldest is Mathews. Each then had their own son and they lived in the new world on a large manor in the Middle East section. The clan named itself Drake, since the original had left with Dracula when his own sons became of age to live on their own, and also in the name of Dracula. They were still the only vampires ever to appear in the world and tried to keep it that way, but the Eldest son of Drake’s children, had different plans.

As everything went, any mortal caught on their land was killed and drained of blood then left in a grave site where they would be discovered and buried, blood was plentiful, but Mathews didn’t see the fun in that. He knew they were the most powerful creatures the world has ever seen, and had told the family countless times that they should be ruling the mortals, but the others liked the things the way they were. So, Mathews went out after another dinner of being shot down, and decided that the best relief was to be with many mortal women; but instead of being with them, he drank their blood, savoring the sweet taste, but they weren’t killed. He left them there and the family soon discovered his big mistake, but nothing happened….at first. Days later, the women were reported missing and the next thing the family knew, the eight women had broke intro the manor and bowed at the feet of Mathews. They pleaded to serve him, in exchange for some of his blood; he agreed but Victor decided to experiment with them.

Two got Mathews blood, another two got mortal blood that had been left form the last feast, another two got his own blood, and the last were left with none.

The two that got Mathews blood had developed the characteristics of a vampire and stood by his side. The next had grown two sets of fangs but then turned an awful pale color and there eyes went a blood red, they looked the most demonic. The others that got Victor’s blood were like the ones that had drank from Mathews, but instead they took Victor’s side, the last two had looked to be painfully turned back into mortals, they were killed anyway and drained of their blood. But out of the ones that did live did have an odd symbol on their neck, and Nathaniel said it must be a way to tell the turned form the pure bloods. The turned weren’t called half bloods because to be true after the taste of the pure bloods blood they never needed any more and they were only meant to fight and serve around the manor. The ones that had to drink regular mortal blood, felt unfed and it would be a feeling that would never end, so they preyed on the other mortals. Which they soon found out, the other bitten mortals received the same odd mark and feasted on blood of anything, from livestock, to other mortals.

Dracula was not happy; he hated the thought of there being more of them, he was sickened at the sight of turned mortals groveling for his families’ pure blood. He and Drake called them Funesta which is Latin for ‘tainted’. He hated them all and once had killed on that dared walk up to him and speaks to him as if they were equals. He and Drake wanted them gone, but Mathews was stubborn and refused to get ride of the ones that had served the manor; Nathaniel’s son, Thomas offered up the idea that the mortals can deal with them, the pure bloods turned only enough to serve them and that was it, but the Funesta’s that had turned other mortals were not their problem anymore. Victor’s son, Johnson, had requested they just kill the ones that didn’t serve the castle. But Mathews’ son, David had agreed with his own father, they should use them as an army to rule the world.

They had settled upon Thomas’s idea, since they didn’t want to deal with them, and they all did hold a hatred for the mortals; they had all lost the women in their lives. But they knew that there was a loop hole now, they could turn their lover, or maybe just court one of the Funesta.

David was first to do so and the young women did lover her master, but when they tried to make a child, she couldn’t become pregnant. David just thought she had been born infertile and had lied to her when she said she was fertile. He drank her dry and left her to rot just outside the grave sight. But when he found an unturned woman who had already had one child, forcibly turned her, and made her carry him a pure blood son; but once again they were was no child.

Funesta could not bare any children, vampire or not. Only the pure mortal could bare pure born son’s, and as Johnson found out, pure blood girls as well. She was named Victoria after her grandfather, and Victoria could bare a pure blood baby, but her partner had to be that of mortal blood. They all lived on the manor, but knew houses were built to hold the family. They weren’t big families, but the family was powerful enough to have however big a house they wanted. The fourth generation was Victoria’s son, Leonardo; Daniels’s –son of David- son, Michael; and Nicholas’s –son of Thomas- son Cornelius. Each son of Drake lived with the extension of their family, but the eldest, Mathews, got to live in the head house on the manor while the others lived in houses far away form the main, taking up many acres of forest and cleared land. They built underground tunnels that connected to each house, if it was urgent news and the sun was out. A school was built there for the children to go to, and time went on, the rich Funesta attend, only if they were rich.

That’s when the story comes back to me; Leonardo refused to have children and lived his days with his mother and servants and even his human lover; he feared of losing her, like many had lost before and decided that instead of that when she was ready, he would turn her so that they could live forever. Daniels had also kept from having children since he rather live out his day living to the fullest with the women Funesta without having the fear of getting one pregnant. Cornelius had a son, my father, Logan and he was the last to carry on the clan.

That was when the government caught up with the family. None of them worked, they came from high class families that set them all for as long as they needed. Then the word got out; there were vampires among the mortals. The Funesta that lived on the street came out of hiding and began a rampage and the government did everything he could to stop it, but it was getting out of hand, until this ‘oh’ so cliché’ part comes in; the vampire bounty hunters. This was a specific kind of people, they came from the families that knew about Dracula before this all started, those kids that were made fun of in class for thinking vampire was real, became the saviors of the people that teased them. This was the Luna Fortes , which his Latin for ‘Moon Warriors’, came in and whipped out most of the Funestas, but then they were ready to come for the Drakes.

This is where my father stepped in and became the man he is today. He went alone to the capital and spoke with the president himself about this little problem, and he talked with the head of the Luna Fortes as well. My father and they came to this final conclusion, the hunters could destroy any vampire that barred the odd symbol on their neck, and the Drakes will not turn another mortal. It was settled and my father came back a hero to the family.

The Hunting was going good, but they forgot that the Funestas were part vampire and the more trouble the hunters had, the more people wanted to be turned right now, before –as they believed- the vampires took over. I found it stupid since half of the ones that were turned, forgot to drink blood and before they knew it, were turned back into mortals.

Then the story comes back to me and my older brother Nathan. He was born a Pure blood and was going to the Drakes own university, but my mother, Lilly, she didn’t just want one child, she wanted another. My father told her that he didn’t know if they get a pure blood baby or not since Victor, Nathaniel, and Mathews were just luck. And as my mother went into labor, the family anticipated my birth. They were shocked to see a my, a girl, but more shocked that I was born with blue eyes, not black like the pure blood, but luckily not red like those of the Funestas everything else was the same though. They learned that I was the first ‘half blood’ born, or that it how Drake had put it. Sadly, my mother died in child birth and my father would have bitten her, but I was still connected to her; and that would have saved her, but killed me in the processes. Father said she would watch over me and her final words were, “I love you.”

At first, Victoria and Victor wanted to run a few experiments with me, seeing if I could have children and retaining immortal. Father wasn’t too happy about the idea, but even Dracula wanted to see what would happen to the first half blood. So, unlucky for me, I was tested on a bit. They never did anything that really hurt me since I was still only a child, and you couldn’t do much either. The found out, by accident, that I had been able to go out in the sun and not die; but that was a thing a lot of the Funestas could do, only the ones that had not drank the pure blood of the Drakes. I had the qualities of a pure blood Drake Vampire and it seemed I retained some human qualities as well. I could eat normal food, my fangs could retract whenever I pleased, and I could go out in the sun.

Mathews thought I was the ultimate weapon that could aid the Drakes in taking over the world; Drake thought I was as “cute as a bunny”. It had become apparent that Lord Dracula and Drake were very fond of me and on my birthday sent me gifts, but I didn’t know why. Nathan, being the pure blood was the next heir to the Drakes; and he was very protective of me –like all older brothers should be- but since I’m not a normal mortal of vampire, everyone is more protective….well except in Mathews, David, and Daniels; they were only fond of my abilities, only my abilities.

I had they beauty that all vampires acquire –born or made- that I seem to attract the Funestas as well as mortals. Victor and Victoria were both of the ‘scienctist’ and were still wondering who was infertile, the male or female Funesta. Until then, my father only inferred the women were and had me under ‘lockdown’ until the study could be complete. I was beginning to hate this little ‘trap-the-girl-in-the-house’ to where I refused to go to the school on the Drakes manor; I wanted to got to public school. After a lot of arguing, I had been allowed to go, but there was another problem.

The Funestas caught wind of this and a lot of them tried to come after me and drink my blood. The Luna Fortes got on it quickly and a lot were killed.

The Funestas got smarter; they themselves had mortal slaves, which were branded with a touch from the oldest Funestas, usually knows as the Elders, and even a few Funestas served them. I saw that a lot of them went to my school and were trying to coax me into coming with them. I guess their masters had offered them a chance at immortal life if I was brought to them. But we all know that even the Funesta get that if there are more vampires, there is less blood to go around, and animal blood was an infilling substitute. These Turned –I like calling them that, but my father will get made that I treat them like they were equal- stopped coming up, but for the Luna Fortes they were becoming harder to kill and get rid of.

I really don’t see what the big deal is, I know how to fight; Drake himself taught me how to kill a Turned with only a sharp ended staff. Not only that, but a stake through the heart works pretty good; but really, if you stake anything in the heart it’ll die. I hate that everyone thinks that holy water will burn our skins –well maybe Dracula, but he rose from hell- but we aren’t monsters. Nathaniel wears a silver cross around his neck and not even a scratch from that thing.

Well, that’s about the basics of my little family tree, sure you don’t really know me, but I’ll get into that later.

Bye everyone, have a nice evening- Oh! And if you spot a man with long blonde hair wearing a business like suit, but no briefcase; be careful that may be Uncle Daniels. They still weren’t good about “not biting the mortals” and then not killing them. I advice that you grit your teeth and push through the pain of being turned back into a mortal; living forever is really no fun.

Subscribe

Get Teen Ink’s 48-page monthly print edition. Written by teens since 1989.

Okay, first things first: I got two sentences into the article and my brain screamed "VAMPIRE STORY, NEXT PLEASE." but I decided to stick with it. Usually if you're writing vampire fiction, that's NOT the reaction you want. The whole vampire thing is so popular nowadays that if people realize they're just reading ANOTHER one of those vampire stories, they won't read it.

Next: It's not a good idea to do full character descriptions before you jump into a story. It makes the narrator seem... (more »)